. w 





XJ^\ 



yvuvw"\My 









VVltJ Wi:,v 



. * WW :' V 



%^vW* 



Y'W 



m'smw^ 






I LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, f 



awy& 



£ UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



VVWH vv,j V 



wtwm 



VWuWV 



:&W, 



OTW 



8S«f«SM«U« 






m"^m^0sM m 



dtifiTLf 









I - v^ ib. '■ ' 


^v^- s ; % * v ;- v - - ^ 


i /r ,^vu yVvvVy ' ■ :X5o 


wV^- v ^ 



» 



: . / ^V 



V^ 



ww* 






m&jm$, 



m 









.. life lirM^ 



' $VM$ 



*ww* 



$$s# 






m 



'Ww 






MW 



/ 



POLE ON WHIST. 



OPINIONS OF TIIE PRESS. 

" Never have we seen a more attractive little book on the great sub- 
ject of whist than the volume now before us. . . . With only a very 
moderate liking for what is really the best game of cards still in vogue, 
the reader easily gains an amount of very interesting information, con- 
veyed in. a pleasantly colloquial manner, that is like the remarks of a 
skilful friend at your elbow during the progress of a trial game. It will 
open up the science of the game to those who have previously played 
hap-hazard, or have failed to appreciate the science that may be in- 
cluded even in a domestic amusement." — ILLUSTRATED Times. 

"A very interesting and useful essay on the theory of the game. The 
author prides himself, and we think with justice, on being the first to 
draw from a single principle the whole theory of the game. There is 
nothing throughout his argument in which we do not concur, and we 
strongly advise all whist players to read it with attention. "We cannot 
do better than recommend this little treatise." — DAILY NEWS. 

"This little work is a praiseworthy attempt to make whist simpler 
and easier by showing that the rules of the best modem play are not 
mere arbitrary conventions, but depend on certain definite logical prin- 
ciples, easily understood and as easily remembered. The author states 
that the system here laid down, although it corresponds accurately with 
the best club play, is yet specially adapted for domestic circles, and in 
particular for teaching the game to the young, who, when they learn in 
this way, find it easy and attractive. We can vouch for the truth of 
this statement, and cordially recommend Dr. POLE'S little work to all 
families who encourage and practise this noble game." — G-raphio. 

" We have but little reason for dilating at any length on the nature or 
excellences of the work ; but we can truly say that we have re-read it, 
not only with pleasure, but we hope with profit. We gladly recommend 
this new edition of Dr. POLE'S work to our readers, but few of whom, 
no matter how well they play the game, we feel convinced will regret 
having studied it, whilst the majority will return to it again and again 
for counsel and advice." — ERA. 



*$* Sold by all booksellers, and sent by mail, postage free, on receipt 
of price, $1.00, by 

G. W. CARLETON & CO., Publishers, 

Madison Square, new York. 



THE THEORY 



MODERN SCIENTIFIC GAME 



WHIST. 



WILLIAM POLE, F.R.S. 

MUS. DOC. OXON. 



{FROM THE LAST LONDON EDITION.] 






is X 



1 



fs-& 




NEW YORK: 

G. W. Car let on & Co. y Publishers. 

LONDON: LONGMAN & CO. 

M.DCCC.LXXII. 



7P?(s 



PREFACE 



It is believed that the manner herein adopted of treat- 
ing" the Theory of the game of Whist is, in a great 
measure, new. Some of the later works published on 
Whist have been more explanatory than the early ones, 
but still they have consisted at best of merely practical 
rules, without reference to their theoretical basis ; and 
the Author is not aware that the attempt to trace the 
whole practice of the modern scientific game back to one 
grand fundamental principle, namely, that of the combi- 
nation of the hands of the two players, has ever before 
been made. It has often indeed been said that each 
player must endeavor to play his partner's cards as well 
as his own ; but this has usually been only given as an 
incidental maxim of practice ; it has not been treated as 
the main principle of action from which the whole play 
springs. 

The nearest approach to this attempt the Editor has 
met with is in a little French book, entitled "Genie du 
Whist, meconnu jusqu'a, present. Par le General B. de 
Vautre. Paris: 4 e edition, 1847. " This author makes 
the true genius of Whist consist in what he propounds as 
the novel principle of the combination of the two hands ; 
or, as he expresses it, l ' l'auteur enseigne la maniere de 
jouer avec vingt-six cartes, selon son expression, et non 
pas avec treize, comme tout le monde." But as he was 



VI PBEFACE. 

ignorant of the long-suit system of play, as a necessary 
means of carrying the combination principle into practice, 
he was obliged to form an imperfect system of his own, 
and therefore his explanations do not correspond with our 
modern game. 

The Author's experience leads him to believe that an 
exposition of the fundamental Theory of Whist will not 
only be satisfactory to accomplished players, by making 
clearer to them the principles they already act upon, but 
will be found of still greater advantage for teaching the 
game in the ordinary domestic circle. 

The young people of a family, especially, are often re- 
pelled from Whist by thinking it dull and difficult. 
Nothing can be more erroneous than such an idea: if 
learnt on proper principles it soon becomes an attractive 
amusement, as well as an admirable mental exercise, and 
to attain moderate proficiency in it is much easier than 
is usually supposed. 

But there are many players of more experience who 
take real pleasure in a domestic rubber, but who are 
still much in the dark as to the true merits of the game ; 
and it is desirable to impress on this large class how 
greatly the interest of their recreation would be increased 
if they would, by a little study of the principles of Whist, 
learn to play it in a more rational and systematic manner 

The practical rules and directions here deduced strictly 
from the Theory, are identical with those sanctioned by 
the best modern authorities, and adopted by the best 
modern players. 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTEB. PAGH 

L— INTRODUCTION 9 

II.— Explanation of Technical Terms used 

in the Modern Scientific Game . . 19 
in. — Theory op the Game ..... 28 

IV.— Development op the Theory . .39 

Its Influence on the Management of Trumps 39 
Management of Plain Suits. — Long Suit Lead 47 
Ketum of the Lead . . ... .50 

Further Remarks on the Lead . . .55 
Other Applications of Theory . . .58 
Communication between the Partners . . 60 
On the Degree of Strictness with which Sys- 
tematic Play should be adhered to . .62 
V. — Rules and Directions for Play . . 67 

The Lead 68 

Second Hand .72 

Third Hand 74 

Fourth Hand 76 

Management of Trumps . . . .77 
General Directions . . . . .81 

VI. — Conclusion 85 

Rhyming Rules, Mnemonic Maxims, and Pocket 
Precepts 95 



CHAPTER I. 

INTRODUCTION. 

Whist is, without question, the best of all our 
domestic games. The only other one which could 
lay claim to such a distinction is Chess ; "but this 
has the disadvantage of containing no element of 
chance in its composition — which renders it too 
severe a mental labor, and disqualifies it from 
being considered a game, in the proper sense of the 
word. Whist, on the contrary, while it is equal 
to chess in its demands on the intellect and skill of 
the player, involves so much chance as to give 
relief to the mental energies, and thus to promote, 
as every good game should, the amusement and 
relaxation of those engaged. 

The high intellectual character of Whist becomes 
evident, if we consider the powers of the mind 
which its intelligent study and practice may call 
into action. To investigate thoroughly its funda- 
mental principles^ we must bring to bear upon it, 
as we shall by and by have occasion to explain, 
reasoning of a high order. But, independently of 
the theory, the practice also involves considerable 
mental attainments. The observation must be 
keen, the memory active ; a considerable power of 



10 THEOEY OF WHIST. 

drawing inferences, and of tracing appearances to 
their causes, must be brought into use; and we 
must exercise boldness, caution, prudence, fore- 
sight, care against deception, promptness of de- 
cision, soundness of judgment, fertility of resource, 
ingenuity of contrivance, and such a general course 
of thought and action as must, if it is to be suc- 
cessful, be dictated by competent and well-trained 
mental powers. 

Then Whist has peculiar moral and social rela- 
tions. It has been called, by those who do not 
understand it, an unsocial game ; but nothing can 
be more untrue. It is a perfect microcosm — a 
complete miniature society in itself. Each player 
has one friend, to whom he is bound by the 
strongest ties of mutual interest and sympathy; 
but he has twice the number of enemies, against 
whose machinations he is obliged to keep perpetual 
guard. He must give strict adherence to the 
established laws and the conventional courtesies of 
his social circle ; he is called on for candid and 
ingenuous behavior ; he must exercise moderation 
in prosperity, patience in adversity, hope in doubt- 
ful fortune, humility when in error, forbearance 
to the faults of his friends, self-sacrifice for his 
allies, equanimity under the success of his adversa- 
ries, and general good-temper throughout all his 



INTRODUCTION. 11 

transactions. His best efforts will sometimes fail, 
and fortune will favor his inferiors; but sound 
principles will triumph in the end. Is there noth- 
ing in all this analogous to the social conditions of 
ordinary life ? 

As an amusement, Whist stands equally high. 
Consider its immense variety. A hand will last 
only a few minutes ; we may have a hundred of 
them in an evening ; and yet, throughout a player's 
whole life, no two similar ones will ever occur ! 
Each one will present some novel feature, offering 
special interest of the most diversified kind. Some- 
times the interest lies in your own cards, some- 
times in your partner's, sometimes in those of 
your adversaries. Sometimes you have almost 
nothing to do, sometimes everything turns on your 
play. The mixture of the unknown with the known 
gives unbounded scope for amusing speculation; 
the admirable combination of volition and chance 
affords a still wider field for • observant interest : 
indeed, some philosophical players make the rubber 
a fertile field for the study of human character, for 
the disclosure of which it is proverbially favorable. 

The only objection brought against Whist is 
that, being played for money, it may promote gam- 
bling. Apart from the consideration that it is 
very unfitted for gambling purposes, the objection 



12 THEORY OF WHIST. 

is untrue in fact. Good players, generally, like to 
play for stakes high, enough to define well the 
interest taken in the game ; but the idea of gain, 
which is the essential feature of gambling, enters 
as little into the mind of a Whist as of a Chess 
player. We have sometimes heard of what are 
called " professional " players, who play with this 
object ; but, we believe, they are generally given a 
wide berth in good society. 

Whist has always been a favorite pursuit of 
great men. The most philosophical novelist of 
modern times uses it to illustrate his profound 
speculations; and we have heard an eminent 
scholar and writer declare he considers it a revela- 
tion to mankind ! But we have the vox populi 
also in its favor ; for does not the proverb repre- 
sent the clever successful man as "playing his 
cards well " ? 

Considering the great popularity of Whist in 
this country, and the extent to which it is played 
in all classes of society, it is really astonishing to 
find how few people take the pains to play it well. 
It has been remarked, by writers on the subject, 
that good players are very seldom to be met with, 
fine ones scarcely ever. And yet, how amply it 
repays a little trouble devoted to its acquisition ! 

How, then, is this strange deficiency to be ac- 



INTRODUCTION. 13 

counted for ? Simply because people do not gener- 
ally admit that Whist, like other branches of 
knowledge, requires study. It is commonly sup- 
posed that, after acquiring the simple construction 
of the game, practice alone will suffice to make a 
good player. This is a great mistake, as experience 
abundantly shows. We continually meet with 
persons who have played Whist all their lives ; and 
yet who, though they may bring to bear on their 
play great observation, memory, and tact, play on 
so entirely different a system to that sanctioned and 
practised by real experts in the game, as scarcely 
to be fit to sit at the same table with them. 

We have already alluded to the wonderful variety 
to be found in the game of Whist ; and we may 
now add that this variety is manifested, not only 
in the distribution of the cards — which is the 
work of chance — but also in the playing of them, 
which depends on the human will. It is with this 
latter element that we have now more especially to do. 

Although the construction of the game is so sim- 
ple that it might be defined in a few words, and 
learnt by a child in a few minutes, yet such is the 
amazing scope it gives for individuality of play, 
that the same deal, or even the same hand of cards, 
might be played in an immense number of different 
ways, according to what the player's notions of 



14 THEORY OF WHIST. 

good and bad play might be. And this variety in- 
volves modes of treatment so different in their 
character and principles, as really to merit the name 
of distinct games. Thus we often hear it said, " Such 
a man plays a game quite different from mine ; " 
and we find " the old-fashioned game," " the mod- 
ern game," " the domestic game," " the club game," 
6i the scientific game," and so on, all spoken of as if 
they were separate things, agreeing only in the pri- 
mary features which distinguish Whist from other 
games at cards. 

Now it is a very natural inquiry, whether, among 
so many various modes and systems, differing so 
widely from each other, there is any one in partic- 
ular which may be identified and defined as superior 
to the others, and which consequently ought to be 
preferred for study ? If so, what is this system ? 
What is the theory on which it is based ? And on 
what grounds does its superiority rest ? 

It is the object of the present essay to endeavor 
to answer these questions. 

In the first place, is there any particular mode 
of playing Whist, which is so distinct from and so 
superior to all others, as to merit being distin- 
guished as the best game ? It is very common to 
hear this denied, particularly by inferior players, 
who will argue that opinions vary, that they think 



mTEODTTCTION. 15 

their own system as good as other people's, and so on. 
If by this they mean (as some of them do) that 
they consider the game as chiefly one of chance, and 
that their amusement is as much promoted by one 
mode of playing as another, we have nothing to say to 
them, except to suggest that ec Beggar my neighbor " 
or " Pope Joan " would be games better adapted to 
their capacities. But there are others more worthy 
of attention, who object to all rules and systems 
whatever, declaring that the play ought to be de- 
termined by the player's judgment and will alone ; 
and the objection is usually backed by the asser- 
tion, that play on any fixed system is often unsuc- 
cessful, which is, of course, only the necessary 
consequence of the large entrance of chance into the 
game. Self-taught players are extremely confused 
in their notions on this point. When they see good 
play fail to win, they will point out, with amusing 
ex post facto discrimination, how much more fortu- 
nate some other course would have been. But 
when good play does succeed, and especially when 
some clever master-stroke may have annihilated 
for them a hand of good cards, they will complain 
" how cross the cards run," as if the whole were en- 
tirely due to accident ! 

The fact is, that, like almost everything else that 
may be done in different ways, there is a best way 



16 THEORY OF WHIST. 

of playing Whist ; and, although a very wide lati- 
tude may always be left for individual judgment 
and skill, yet the existence of -a system of play, pre- 
ferable to all others, is sufficiently proved by its 
acknowledgment by all the best writers and the 
best players, and by a tolerably near agreement, 
among all these authorities, as to what this system is. 

The immortal Hoyle appears to have been the 
first to perceive, a century and a quarter ago, that 
"Whist was capable of being reduced to a scientific 
and logical system, of high intellectual merit ; and 
although his descriptions are somewhat obscure (as 
might naturally be expected in the first efforts to 
describe a complicated new discovery), yet careful 
and persevering examination enables us to trace 
clearly in them the general nature of the system he 
founded. This has been adopted in its general 
form by all succeeding writers and players of emi- 
nence ; and, as might be expected, the constantly 
progressive experience of so long a period, and the 
attention devoted to the game by many powerful 
minds, have gradually developed the system into a 
more complete and perfect form, and have added to 
it modern improvements of much interest and value, 
tending still further to raise the intellectual charac- 
ter of the game. 

It is this general system, therefore, which is laid 



INTRODUCTION. 17 

down by almost all writers of any authority, and 
practised by almost all players whose example is 
worth following; and we need no further proof 
that, as far as our knowledge at present extends, it 
is the best that ingenuity and skill have been able 
to devise.* It is worthy the appellation of a scien- 
tific system, on account of the elevated reasoning it 
involves ; and, on this account, combined with the 
fact that some of its features are of late invention, 
we shall designate it as "The Modern Scientific 
Game." 

This system, as we have already said, essentially 
requires to be learnt and studied. It has been the 
result of long combined experience, and careful and 
intricate deduction, and it is scarcely possible for 
any one individual to arrive at the knowledge of it 
by his own practice, however extended, or his own 
judgment, however shrewd ; and he must therefore 
be content to be taught it, as students in other 
scientific branches of knowledge are. 

There has hitherto, however, been a great defect 
in the manner of teaching this system. It has been 

* From actual trials, extending over a long period, the 
Author has seen reason to infer that the systematic com- 
bined game, explained in this treatise, gives an advantage, 
in the long run, over unsystematic separate play, of about 
half a point in each rubber. 



18 THEORY OF WHIST. 

the invariable custom to lay down practical rules 
and directions for play, sometimes in their naked 
simplicity, and sometimes accompanied with more 
or less argument or explanation (as done to a cer- 
tain extent originally by Hoyle and Mathews), but 
always leaving the student to extract for himself, 
from this mass of detail, the general principles on 
which these rules were based. Just as if a student 
of chemistry were put into a working druggist's 
shop, and expected to acquire all his knowledge of 
the science, by inference, from the operations he 
was taught to carry on there. 

In other words, no attempt has ever been made 
to work out or to explain the fundamental theory 
of the game / and, believing that the thorough un- 
derstanding of this is the best possible preparation 
for using the rules aright, and for acquiring an in- 
telligent style of play, we propose to state this 
theory somewhat fully, and to, show how it becomes 
developed in the shape of practical rules. 

But, before entering on this, it will be advisable 
to explain the meaning of some of the principal 
technical terms we shall have to employ. 



CHAPTER II. 

EXPLANATION OF TECHNICAL TERMS USED IN THE 
MODERN SCIENTIFIC GAME. 

Bring in. See Establish. 

Command. — You are said to have the command 
of a suit when you hold the best cards in it. If 
you have sufficient of them to be able to draw all 
those in the other hands (as would probably be the 
case if you had ace, king, queen, and two others), 
the command is complete-; if not, it may be only 
partial or temporary. Commanding cards are the 
cards which give you the command. 

Conventional signals are certain modes of play 
designed purposely, by common consent, for the 
object of conveying information to your partner. 
The principle was sanctioned by Hoyle, and several 
of them are established and legalized in the mod- 
ern scientific game ; as, for example, the signal for 
trumps ; the return of the highest from a short 
suit ; playing the lowest of a sequence ; discarding 
the highest of a suit of which you have full com- 
mand, and so on. 

Discard. — The card you throw away when you 
have none of the suit led, and do not trump it. In 
the modern game, your first discard should be from 
• a short or weak suit. 



20 THEORY OF WHIST. 

Establish. — A suit is said to be established when 
you hold the complete command of it. This may 
sometimes happen to be the case originally, but it 
is more common to obtain it in the course of the 
play by " clearing " away the cards that obstructed 
you, so as to remain with the best in your hand. 
It is highly desirable to establish your long suit as 
soon as you can, for which purpose not only your 
adversaries' hands, but also your partner's, must be 
cleared from the obstructing cards. 

When your suit is once established, if the adver- 
saries' trumps are out, and you can get the lead, it 
is obvious you may make a trick with every card 
of it you hold ; and this is called bringing it in. 

The establishment and bringing in of long suits 
form the great distinguishing features of the mod- 
ern scientific game. 

False card is a card played contrary to the estab- 
lished rules or conventions of the game, and which 
therefore is calculated to deceive your partner as 
to the state of your hand ; as, for example, follow- 
ing suit with the highest or middle card of a 
sequence, or throwing away other than your lowest 
card. The play of false cards without very good rea- 
son is characteristic only of hopelessly bad players. 

Finessing is an attempt, by the third player, to 
make a lower card answer the purpose of a higher 



TECHNICAL TERMS. 21 

(which it is usually his duty to play) under the hope 
that an intermediate card may not lie to his left 
hand. Thus, having ace and queen of your partner's 
lead, you finesse the queen, hoping the fourth player 
may not hold the king. Or, if your partner leads a 
knave, and you hold the king, you may finesse or 
pass the knave, i.e., play a small card to it, under 
the hope that it may force the ace. The word is 
sometimes applied to cases where it is certain the 
inferior card will answer the purpose intended ; as, 
for example, where the left hand has already shown 
weakness. But this is clearly a misuse of the term, 
for unless there is a risk of the card being beaten, 
it is only ordinary play, and can involve no finessing 
— properly so called. 

You are said to finesse against the intermediate 
card, and sometimes also against the person who 
holds it ; but, as by the nature of the case it should 
be unknown where the card lies, the latter meaning 
is apt to create confusion. The person against 
whom you act is more correctly the fourth player. 

Forcing means obliging your partner or your 
adversary to trump a trick, by leading a suit of 
which they have none. 

Guarded second, or second-best guarded, is the 
combination of the second-best card for the time 
being, with a small one to guard it against being 



22 THEOET OF WHIST. 

taken by the best ; as, for example, king and a small 
one originally, or knave and a small one when the 
ace and queen have been played. 

This combination is an important one, having an 
advantage analogous to that of the tenace ; namely, 
that if the suit is led by your left-hand adversary, 
you are certain (bar trumping) to make your sec- y 
ond-best card. 

Honors are the ace, king, queen, and knave of 
trumps ; the term, however, is often applied to the 
same cards in plain suits. The ten and nine are 
sometimes called semi-honors. 

Leading through, or up to. — The person who 
leads is said to lead through his left hand adversary, 
and up to his right hand one, such being the direc- 
tion in which the play runs. 

Long cards are cai^ls remaining in one hand 
when all the rest of that suit have been played. 

Long suit. — One of which you hold more than 
three cards. See Strength. 

Loose card means a card in hand of no value, and 
consequently the fittest to throw away. 

Make. — To make a card means simply to win a 
trick with it. 

Master card, or best card, means the highest card 
in at the time. Thus, if the ace and king were out, 
the master card would be the queen. This is some- 



TECHNICAL TERMS. 23 

times also called the "king card," a name likely to 
cause confusion. 

Opening. — Term borrowed from chess, to denote 
the system on which you commence or open your 
game when you get your first lead. 

Plain suits are the three suits not trumps. 

He-entry. — A card of re-entry is one that will, 
by winning a trick, bring you the lead at an ad- 
vanced period of the hand. 

Renounce. — When a player has none of the suit 
led he is said to renounce that suit, 

Revoke. — If he fails to follow suit when he has any 
of the suit, he revokes, and incurs a serious penalty. 

Huffing is another word for trumping a suit of 
which you have none. 

Score. — The counting or marking of the progress 
of the game. Attention to the score, which is very 
necessary in playing, refers not only to the progress, 
but also to the prospects of the game, as evidenced by 
the tricks made and honors held in the current hand. 

Seesaw, or saw, is when each of two partners 
ruffs a different suit, so that they may lead alter- 
nately into each other's hands. 

Sequence.— Any number of cards in consecutive 
order, as king, queen, and knave. The ace, queen, 
and ten would form a sequence if the king and 
knave were out. 



24 THEORY OF WHIST. 

A tierce is a sequence of three cards ; a quart of 
four ; and a quint of five. 

A head sequence is one standing at the head 
of the suit in your hand, even though it may not 
contain the best card. A subordinate sequence is 
one standing lower down, and it is an intermediate 
sequence if you hold cards both higher and lower. 

Short Suit. — One of which you hold originally 
not more than three cards. See Strength. 

Signal for Trumps. — Throwing away, unneces- 
sarily and contrary to ordinary play, a high card 
before a low one, is called the signal for trumps, or 
asking for trumps ; being a command to your part- 
ner to lead trumps the first opportunity — a command 
which, in the modern scientific game, he is bound 
to obey, whatever his own hand may be. 

Singleton. — A French name for one card only of 
a suit. 

Strength, Strong Suit, Strong Sand. — These are 
terms which it is highly essential to have clearly 
denned, as their interpretation lies at the root of 
the theory of the modern scientific game. 

The cards of any suit contained in your hand 
may vary in two different ways : as regards num- 
ber, and as regards rank. 

As regards number of cards — as tnere are thir- 
teen cards to divide among four persons, it is clear 



TECHNICAL TEEMS. 25 

that three cards or less will be under the average, 
while four cards or more will be over the average 
due to each person. 

Again, as to rank, the middle card of a suit is 
the eight; any cards you hold above this may be 
considered high cards ; any below, low cards. 

Now, it has been the habit to use the terms 
strength and weakness, as applied indiscriminately 
to either number or rank — a practice which, 
though no doubt it may be defended analogically, 
is yet calculated to cause great confusion in the 
mind of the student, inasmuch as the two things 
must be very differently regarded in any scientific 
system of play. If, for example, a strong suit has 
been spoken of, it might mean either one in which 
you possess a large number of cards (as, say, the 
two, three, four, five, six, and seven), or in which 
you hold only„a few very high ones, as, say, ace, 
king, and queen; the former being numerical 
strength; the latter strength of rank. 

This twofold meaning has, however, become so 
firmly implanted in Whist nomenclature that it 
would be useless to attempt to eradicate it. All 
we can do is to endeavor to get a little more per- 
spicuity by using as much as possible the term 
long suit to indicate strength in numbers, leaving 
the word strong to apply chiefly to high cards. 
2 



26 THEORY OF WHIST. 

Thus any suit of which you hold four or more 
will be called a long suit, being longer than the 
average. Any suit of three or less will be called a 
short suit, being shorter than the average. 

When we speak of a strong suit, we shall gen- 
erally refer to one containing cards of a higher 
than average rank, and of a weak suit the contrary. 

A long suit will naturally have a greater chance 
of containing high cards than a short one, and this 
is probably the reason why the confusion of terms 
has arisen. 

A strong hand is difficult to define, further than 
as one likely to make many tricks : a weak one the 
contrary. The terms are often misused when parts 
of the hand only are referred to ; as, for example, 
when you are advised to "lead up to the weak 
hand," which merely refers to a hand weak in the 
particular suit you lead. „ 

Strengthening play is getting rid of high cards 
in any suit, the effect of which is to give an im- 
proved value to the lower cards of that suit still 
remaining in, and so to strengthen the hand that 
holds them. Strengthening play is most beneficial 
to the hand that is longest in the suit. 

Tenace. — A tenace, in modern Whist,* is under- 

* The older writers, as Hoyle and Mathews, use this 
word as referring rather to the position than the cards ; 
but the meaning in the text is the more modern one. 



TECHNICAL TEEMS. 27 

stood to mean the combination, in the same hand, 
of the best and third best card for the time being 
of any suit ; as for example, the ace and queen 
originally, or the king and ten when the ace and 
knave have been played. 

The advantage of this combination is that, if 
you are fourth player in the suit, you will cer- 
tainly (bar trumping) make two tricks in it ; and 
it is therefore much to your interest that the suit 
should be led by your left-hand adversary. 

The word has nothing to do with ten and ace; 
it probably comes from the Latin tenax, the policy 
being to hold back the suit containing the tenace 
rather than to lead it. 

A minor tenace is the combination of the second 
and fourth best cards. 

Underplay usually signifies keeping back best 
cards, and playing subordinate ones instead. This 
is sometimes advantageous in trumps, or in plain 
suits when strong in trumps, or when trumps are 
out; but it requires care and judgment to avoid 
evil consequences from deceiving your partner, 
and from having your best cards subsequently 
ruffed. 

Weakness, Weak Suit. See Strength. 



CHAPTER III. 



THEORY OF THE GAME. 



The basis of the theory of the modern scientific 
game of Whist lies in the relations existing be- 
tween the players. 

It is a fundamental feature of the construction 
of the game, that the four players are intended to 
act, not singly and independently, but in a double 
combination, two of them being partners against a 
partnership of the other two. And it is the full 
recognition of this fact, carried out into all the 
ramifications of the play, which characterizes the 
scientific game, and gives it its superiority over all 
others. 

Yet, obvious as this fact is, it is astonishing how 
imperfectly it is appreciated among players gen- 
erally. Some ignore the partnership altogether, 
except in the mere division of the stakes, neither 
caring to help their partners or be helped by them, 
but playing as if each had to fight his battle alone. 
Others will go farther, giving some degree of con- 
sideration to the partner, but still always making 
their own hand the chief object ; and among this lat- 
ter class are often found players of much skill and 
judgment, and who pass for great adepts in the game. * 



THEORY OF WHIST. 29 

The scientific theory, however, goes much farther. 
It carries out the community of interests to the 
fullest extent possible. It forbids the player to 
consider his own hand apart from that of his part- 
ner, but commands him to treat both in strict con- 
junction, teaching him, in fact, to play the two 
hands combined, as if they were one. For this ob- 
ject the two players enter into a system of legalized 
correspondence established for the purpose, by 
which each becomes informed to the fullest extent 
possible of the contents of his partner's hand, and 
endeavors to play in such manner as is best for the 
combination. The advantage of this combined 
principle is almost self-evident ; for suppose it car- 
ried to an extreme by each partner seeing the other's 
cards : no one could doubt the resulting advantage ; 
and the modern system is as near an approach to 
this as the rules of the game will permit. There 
are, however, two objections sometimes brought 
against it which deserve brief notice. 

First, it is said that you might often play your 
own hand to more advantage by treating it in your 
own way, and that the combined principle may lead 
you to sacrifice it. But this objection is merely 
founded on a misapprehension as to how the prin- 
ciple is applied ; for a study of the resulting system 
will show that it is calculated fully to realize any 



30 THEORY OF WHIST. 

advantages your own hand may possess, while the 
cases in which sacrifice is required are only those 
in which the joint interest is indubitably promoted 
thereby. Then, secondly, it is objected that all in- 
dications given to your partner may also be seen 
by the opponents and turned against you ; and it 
is sometimes argued that by enlightening in this way 
two enemies and only one friend you establish a 
balance to your disadvantage. But this involves a 
confusion in reasoning; for, if the opponents are 
equally good players, they will adopt the same sys- 
tem, and the positions must be equal ; and if they 
are not good players, they will be incapable ot 
profiting by the indications you give, and the whole 
advantage will rest with you. Besides, even good 
players seldom pay so much heed to their opponents' 
as to their partner's indications, the attention being 
always most prominently directed to the partner's 
play. It would be more logical to put the argu- 
ment in another form, and to say that, if you play 
obscurely, you are in constant danger of getting 
obstruction instead of help from your partner, 
which would give you three opponents to fight sin- 
gle-handed.* 

* One of our best modem players calls it a " golden 
maxim for Whist," that " it is of more importance to in- 
form your partner than to deceive your adversary," and 
adds that " the best Whist player is he who plays the 
game in the simplest and most intelligible way." 



THEORY OF WHIST. 31 

The fact is, however, that the general adoption of 
the principle should by no means supersede the ex' 
ercise of judgment in its application. We shall 
hereafter point out that the individual qualifica- 
tions of the various players should have an import- 
ant influence on the mode of play ; and a practised 
player will soon learn to discriminate cases where 
it may be more proper to withhold information 
than to give it. Such cases are of constant oc- 
currence, but they do not affect the general advan- 
tage of the combined principle, which is sufficiently 
established by the fact that it is the result of long 
experience, is practised by the best players, and is 
recommended by the first authorities on the game. 

Now, in order that the two hands may be man- 
aged conjointly to the best advantage, it is requisite 
that each partner should adopt the same general 
system of treating his hand. For it is clear that if 
one player prefer one system, and the other a dif- 
ferent one, such cross purposes must render any 
combination impracticable. It is necessary, there- 
fore, here to explain somewhat fully what the dif- 
ferent systems are, on which a hand may be treated, 
and to show which of them is considered the pref- 
erable one for adoption. 

The object of play is of course to make tricks, 



32 THEORY OF WHIST. 

and tricks may be made in four different ways, 
viz. : 

1. By the natural predominance of master cards, 
as aces and kings. This forms the leading idea of 
beginners, whose notions of trick-making do not 
usually extend beyond the high cards they have 
happened to receive. But a little more knowledge 
and experience soon show that this must be made 
subordinate to more advanced considerations. 

2. Tricks may be also made by taking advantage 
of the position of the cards, so as to evade the 
higher ones, and make smaller ones win : as, for 
example, in finessing, and in leading up to a weak 
suit. This method is one which, although always 
kept well in view by good players, is yet only of 
accidental occurrence, and therefore does not enter 
into our present discussion of the general systems 
of treating the hand. 

3. Another mode of trick-making is by trumping; 
a system almost as fascinating to beginners as the 
realization of master cards ; but the correction of 
this predilection requires much deeper study. 

4. The fourth method of making tricks is by es- 
tablishing and bringing in a long suit, every card 
of which will then make a trick, whatever be its 
value. This method, though the most scientific, is 



THEORY OF WHIST. 33 

the least obvious, and therefore is the least practised 
by young players. , 

Now, the first, third, and fourth methods of mak- 
ing tricks may be said to constitute different sys- 
tems, according to either of which a player may view 
his hand and regulate his play. An example will 
make this quite clear. 

Suppose the elder hand, having the first lead, re- 
ceives the following cards : 

Hearts (Trumps) Q. 9, 6, 3. 
Spades . . .Kg. Kn. 8, 4, 3, 2. 
Diamonds . . A. Kg. 
Clubs . . . . Q. 

He may adopt either of the three above-named 
views in regard to his hand, and the choice he makes 
will at once influence his first lead. 

If badly taught, he will probably adopt the first 
system, and lead out at once his ace and king of 
diamonds. 

Or, if he peculiarly affect the trumping system, he 
will lead out the queen of clubs, in hopes of ruffing 
the suit when it is led again. 

But, if he is a more advanced player, he will, at 
any rate for his first lead, adopt the fourth method ; 
he will lead the smallest of his long suit of spades, 
knowing that if he can ultimately establish it and 
bring it in, he must make several tricks in it. 
2* 



34 THEOEY OF WHIST. 

The importance of a correct choice between the 
three systems consists principally in the fact alluded 
to above, that it directly influences the first lead, or 
what we may call (in analogy with chess) the open- 
ing of the game. For on the combined principle of 
action, the first lead is by far the most important 
one in the whole hand, inasmuch as it is the first 
and most prominent intimation given to your part- 
ner as to the cards you hold. He will, if he is a 
good player, observe with great attention the card 
you lead, and will at once draw inferences from it 
that may perhaps influence the whole of his plans. 
And hence, the nature of the opening you adopt is 
of the greatest consequence to your joint welfare. 
And it is clear that, however your play may vary 
in the after-part of the hand, you must, as a general 
principle, adopt always the same opening, or it will 
be impossible for your partner to draw any infer- 
ences from it at all. 

Let us, therefore, consider how the choice be- 
tween the three systems of play is determined. 

We may dismiss the first, or master-card system, 
very briefly. It is evidently not good at once to 
lead out master cards of a suit of which you hold 
only a few ; for the reason that you can probably 
make them whenever any one else leads it, and that 



THEORY OF WHIST. 35 

they will then serve as " cards of re-entry," to pro- 
cure you additional leads at a future period of the 
hand, which then become peculiarly valuable, ow- 
ing to the increased information you have obtained. 
Hence, the master-card system, though often of 
great use, must not be the one by which the open- 
ing of the game is determined. 

Between the two other systems, however, the 
choice is not so clear. It is by no means easy to 
prove which of them, if pursued systematically, 
would in the long run be the most advantageous as 
regards the single hand / to demonstrate this would 
require the study of almost infinite combinations of 
chances. But there is a conclusive argument in 
favor of the fourth or long-suit system; namely, 
that, treated as a form of opening, it is the only one 
which adapts itself favorably and conveniently to 
the combination of the hands. 

The difficulties in the combined use of the trump- 
ing system would be very great. In the first place, 
it would not often happen that your hand contained 
a suit of one card only : you might have none of a 
suit, when you could not lead it ; your minimum 
might be two, when the policy would be doubtful ; 
or three, when it would be useless. Hence there 
would be no uniformity in your opening ; it would 
be always equivocal, and would consequently give 



36 THEORY OF WHIST. 

your partner no information. Then, after leading 
a single card you could not yourself persevere in 
your system, or do anything more to further it ; as 
your next lead must be on some other ground — a 
complexity which would effectually prevent favor- 
able combined action. And, thirdly, your plan 
would be so easily overthrown by the adversaries' 
leading . trumps, which, if they knew your system, 
a very moderate strength would justify them in do- 
ing, to your utter discomfiture. 

The long-suit opening is free from all these ob- 
jections. It is uniformly practicable, as every hand 
must contain at least one suit of four cards ; you 
can persevere in your design every time you get the 
lead, whether your partner can help you or not; 
your indications to your partner are positive and 
unmistakable; and the adversaries are almost 
powerless to offer you any direct obstruction — 
their only resource being to bring forward counter- 
plans of their own. 

It is sometimes alleged against the long-suit open- 
ing, that in many cases it cannot be followed to its 
conclusion, from the strength of trumps being 
against you, or from untoward fall of the cards. 
But even in this case it is still the safest, as, though 
it may not succeed for yourself, it is the way least 
likely to help your adversary, and indeed it fur- 



THEORY OF WHIST. 37 

nishes you always with the best means of obstructing 
him, by forcing his hand. And it must be recol- 
lected that its adoption as an opening does not bind 
you always implicitly to follow it up, or in the 
least prevent you from making tricks, in the after- 
part of the hand, by any of the other modes, if you 
should find it to your interest to do so. Any 
master-cards you possess will take care- of them- 
selves ; and if you are short of a suit, and wish to 
trump it, you have only to wait till it is led by 
some one else, and you attain your object without 
misleading your partner. 

Thus the long-suit system has not only peculiar 
benefits of its own, but it permits full advantage 
being taken of the other systems also, and, used as 
an opening, is in all cases the safest play. To this 
we may add that it has characterized the scientific 
game ever since it was invented ; it has stood the 
test of long experience ; and is universally adopted 
by the best authorities we have. At the same 
time, by the more recondite and scientific character 
of the play it admits of, it is preferred by all 
eminent players, as calling into operation the high- 
est intellectual and reasoning powers, and thereby 
greatly ennobling the game. 

Accepting, therefore, this system as the prefera- 
ble one, we are now able to enunciate the funda- 



38 THEORY OF WHIST, 

mental theory of the modern scientific game, which 
is — 

That the hands of the two partners shall not he 
played singly and independently ', but shall be com- 
bined, and treated as one. A.nd that, in order to 
carry out most effectually this principle of combina- 
tion, each partner shall adopt the long-suit system, 
as the general basis of his play. 



CHAPTER IV. 

DEVELOPMENT OF THE THEORY. 

We now proceed to explain how this theory is 
developed into a practical shape ; and this we must 
divide off under several heads. The most import- 
ant is 

Its Influence on the Management of Trumps. 

The treatment of trumps is a great puzzle to ill- 
taught players, who generally use them in the wild- 
est and most unskilful way. To play them in 
detail to the best advantage always requires much 
judgment, even in the most educated; but the 
general principles of their management are easily 
and clearly determined by our theory, as we shall 
endeavor to show. 

Trumps may be used for three distinct purposes, 
namely : 

1. To play as ordinary or plain suits. This use, 
however, ignores their higher or special value, and 
ought therefore to be made quite subordinate to the 
other two. 

2. To make tricks by trumping. 

3. To aid in making your own or your partner's 
long suits or high cards. 

The theory we have enunciated points clearly to 



40 THEORY OF WHIST. 

the third use of trumps as the highest and most 
scientific, and accordingly this application of them 
is always the most prominent in the scientific game. 
It is obvious that the chief obstacle to making long 
suits is their being trumped by the adversary ; and 
that therefore the advantage will be with that 
party who, having predominant strength in trumps, 
can succeed in drawing those of the adversaries. 

For this reason, whenever you have Jive trumps ■, 
whatever they are, or whatever the other compon- 
ents of your hand, you should lead them • for the 
probability is that three, or at most four, rounds 
will exhaust those of the adversaries, and you will 
still have one or two left to bring in your own or 
your partner's long suits, and to stop those of the 
enemy. And notice, that it is numerical strength 
of trumps that is most important for this purpose, 
so that you must not be deterred from leading 
them, even if all five should be small ones ; for in 
this case probably your partner will hold honors, 
and even if the honors are all against you, you will 
probably soon bring down two together. 

And, further, you must recollect that it is no 
argument against leading trumps from five, that 
you have no long suit, and that your hand is other- 
wise weak ; for it is the essence of the combined 
principle that you work for your partner as well as 



DEVELOPMENT. 4:1 

yourself, and the probability is that if you are 
weak, he is strong, and will have long suits or good 
cards to bring in. And if, unfortunately, it should 
happen that you are both weak, any other plaj 
would be probably still worse for you. 

The lead of trumps is considered so important to 
the science of the modern game that, for many 
years back, a conventional signal has been intro- 
duced, by which, when a player wants them to be 
led, and cannot get the lead himself, he may inti- 
mate the fact to his partner, and call upon him to 
lead them. This signal consists simply in throwing 
away, unnecessarily, a higher card before a lower. 
Thus, suppose king and ace of some suit are led 
consecutively, and your two lowest cards are the 
seven and the three, the usual play is to throw 
away first the three and next the seven. But if 
you reverse this order, playing first the seven and 
then the three, this is a command to your partner 
to lead trumps immediately. It is called the sig- 
nal for trumps, or asking for trumps; it is ex- 
plained in all modern works, and it is become a rec- 
ognized arrangement in all the best Whist circles. 

It will also be evident that, as the success of the 
long-suit system depends so much on the early ex- 
traction of trumps by the hand strong in them, it 
is your imperative duty to return trumps immedi- 



42 THEORY OF WHIST. 

ately if your partner leads them, or to lead them 
the first opportunity if he signals for them. You 
must not consider your own cards ; for if you agree 
to play the correct game, you are bound to do what 
is best for the combined hands, and your partner, 
having the power of conferring so great a mutual 
benefit, must not be thwarted in his design. It is 
the understood etiquette for the strong hand in 
trumps always to take precedence, and a partner 
who refuses to conform to the rule should be " sent 
to Coventry " by all good players. It is an old Joe 
Miller in Whist circles, that there are only two 
reasons that can justify you in not returning trumps 
to your partner's lead ; i.e., first, sudden illness ; 
secondly, having none. There is, however, one 
case in which you have an option, and that is 
where your partner, in desperation, leads trumps 
from weakness, in hopes you are strong ; if, there- 
fore, you are also weak, you can return them or 
not as you think best for the- game. 

The foregoing remarks apply to the case of great 
numerical strength in trumps, one hand being sup- 
posed to hold five. It remains to be considered 
how trumps should be treated when you hold a less 
number. • «. 

"With four trumps you are still numerically 
strong, but you have not, as in the former case, 



DEVELOPMENT. 43 

such overpowering strength as warrants you iu 
leading trumps at all hazards. Possibly one of the 
adversaries may also hold four, or even five, in 
which cases you might be unintentionally playing 
his game. 

Hence, with four trumps considerable discretion 
is required, their lead being only warranted by tole- 
rable strength, either of yourself or your partner, 
in other suits, in which case, even if long trumps 
reimain in against you, you may manage to force 
them out and afterwards bring in your good cards. 
But if you have to lead before you can ascertain 
what your partner's hand consists of, and if you 
have a good plain suit, it is generally best to lead 
that first. 

With a short suit of trumps, i.e., with less than 
four, it is very seldom right to lead them, at the 
commencement of the hand, for the obvious reason 
that if the adversaries happen to be strong, you are 
playing their game. It can only be warranted by 
very strong cards in ail other suits, by which you 
may, perhaps, be able effectively to force a strong 
adverse trump hand. 

Many uneducated players will lead a high trump 
from Y/Q&kness, in order, as they say, to strengthen 
their partner ; but this is founded on imperfect rea- 
soning. The effect of leading high or strengthening 



4& THEORY OF WHIST. 

cards is to benefit the hand that is longest in the 
suit; and if you know this to be your partner's 
case, the play is right. But to do it in uncertainty 
is wrong, since it is two to one that the longest 
hand is not with your partner, but with one of the 
adversaries, and therefore the chances are that you 
favor the opponents' game. 

Many unscientific players will also lead trumps, 
simply because their long suit is trumped, or is 
likely to be so. This also is a mistake ; for,* as 
before, if the adversaries are strongest in trumps, 
you are only playing their game. 

The proper use to make- of trumps when you are 
numerically weak in them, is to use them, if possi- 
ble, for raffing. You cannot, for want of strength, 
put them to their highest use, and you must, there- 
fore, fall back upon their lower application. 

Several corollaries arise out of the foregoing 
principles of the scientific management of trumps ; 
for example : 

It will often happen that, being second player, 
and having none of the suit led, you may be at a 
loss to know whether to trump a doubtful trick or 
to leave it for your partner. This difficulty is at 
once solved by the foregoing theory. If you are 
weak in trumps, holding, say, not more than three, 
trump without hesitation, as your- trumps are of no 



DEVELOPMENT. 45 

other use, and they may probably save a command 
ing card of your partner's, which in the adversaries 1 
suit will be very valuable. But, if you have a long 
suit of trumps, holding four or more, pass the trick, 
as they are too valuable to risk wasting. It may 
even be sometimes advisable, in the latter case, to 
refuse a trick which is certainly against you, as 
your trumps will ultimately make, and you may 
perhaps discard advantageously. This rule is addi- 
tionally useful as an indication to your partner. If 
he sees you trump freely second-hand, he will know 
you are weak; if you abstain, he will infer you are 
strong, and his knowledge of either fact may be of 
great value to you both. In the latter case also 
your discard will give him very useful information. 
The greatest mischief that can be done to a strong 
trump hand is to force it to ruff, so depriving it of 
its j:>reponderating strength. This must be borne 
in mind if you see your partner renounce a suit, 
when you must, if you know him to be strong in 
trumps, carefully avoid forcing him. If you have 
had no indication of his hand, you must form, as 
well as you can, a judgment by your own; if you 
are weak, ho may probably be strong : and hence 
the rule that you must not force your partner when 
you are weak in trumps yourself ^ until you are 
satisfied that your doing so will not harm him. 



£6 THEORY OF WHIST. 

These principles also teach you how best to 
oppose a strong adverse trump hand, and to seek to 
diminish the advantages it gives over you. In 
this case you have first carefully to avoid leading 
trumps, which is the adversaries' game ; and, sec- 
ondly, you must force the adverse, strong hand to 
ruff whenever you can. By this means, if perse- 
vered in, you may perhaps succeed in neutralizing 
the opposing strength, and so in making your own 
good or long cards, although the chances are gener- 
ally against you. At any rate, you can endeavor 
to make use of your trumps for ruffing before they 
are drawn. 

Many players, when weak in trumps, will lead 
through an honor turned up, without any other mo- 
tive than to give their partner a supposed trifling 
advantage in making a trick with them. This is a 
delusion, and is moreover entirely at variance with 
the principles of the modern game, inasmuch as it 
debases the trumps to their lowest use. But its 
worst fault is that it entirely misleads your partner, 
who, if he plays properly, will imagine you to be 
strong, and by returning them probably destroy 
your joint game. 

Again, if you have great numerical strength in 
trumps you should never hesitate to lead them up 
to an honor. It is true your partner, being obliged 



DEVELOPMENT. 47 

to play his best, may possibly lose a high card, but 
this will be rather to your advantage than other- 
wise, as it will strengthen your hand and give you 
earlier the entire command. If you abstain from 
leading them, your partner may imagine the 
strength to be against him, and will play accor- 
dingly, and thus the immense advantage of your 
strong trumps may be lost. 

Such are the chief practical principles in regard 
to trumps, deducible from the scientific modern 
theory. It will be seen they are a powerul engine 
for the advantageous working of plain suits, and 
that they require to be played with great care. In 
fact, the way in which a player manages his trumps 
will always form the surest index of the extent of 
his knowledge of the game. 

Management of Plain Suits.- — Long Suit Lead. 

We now go on to show the general application 
of the scientific theory to the play of suits not 
trumps, or, as they are called, plain suits. 

Supposing you have first lead, not being very 
strong in trumps, but having a long suit in your 
hand. Adhering to the established mode of " open- 
ing," jovl lead from your long suit, thereby at once 
informing your partner what is the chief compo- 
nent of your hand. He will recollect this, and as 



4:8 THEOEY OF WHIST. 

it is his duty to return your lead hereafter, and 
your interest to persevere in your suit, you will 
have the opportunity of " making" any good cards 
in it which the joint hands may contain, and you 
may probably after three rounds be left with one 
or two long cards of it in your own hand. These 
long cards will then become very valuable ; if the 
trumps can be extracted from, the adverse hands, 
and you can get the lead, either by a trump or a 
card of re-entry, they will make certain tricks : if 
any trumps remain against you, the long cards may 
be made powerful weapons of offence by forcing 
them out ; so that in either case the system of play 
will be advantageous for you. 

Next comes the question, What card should you 
lead from your long suit ? To answer this fully 
would involve more detail than we purpose to go 
into here, but there are some prominent considera- 
tions that will serve as guides for general practice. 

As an abstract principle, it is not good to part 
with your high cards at first, as it is very desirable 
to retain the complete command of the suit at a later 
period. Suppose, for instance, you hold ace, king, 
and three small ones : the most advantageous lead 
(if it were not for a consideration we shall enter 
into by and by) would be a small one ; for on the 
second round you would have the complete com- 



DEVELOPMENT. 49 

mand with your aco and king, being able probably 
thereby to draw all the others and pursue your 
suit to the end. When you have such command, 
your suit is said to be established, and it is evi- 
dently advantageous for you to get this effected as 
early as you possibly can. This principle would, 
therefore, dictate that your first lead should gen- 
erally bo the lowest of your suit. 

But there is a circumstance which considerably 
modifies the application of this principle in prac- 
tice — that is, the risk of the suit being ruffed by 
the adversaries ; on which account it is advisable 
to depart in some measure from it for the sake of 
making your winning cards early. Thus in the 
above hand of ace, king, and three small ones, if 
you were to begin with the smallest, reserving your 
two high cards for the second and third rounds, 
you would probably have one of them trumped ; 
for which reason it is good policy to play them out 
first, at the risk of delaying the establishment of 
your suit. 

The first-named principle will, however, always 
apply for leading trumps, and also for plain suits 
when trumps are out, as the motive for the depar- 
ture from it then no longer exists. 

There is also another kind of exception from be- 
ginning with the lowest, but which directly tends 
3 



50 THEOEY OF WHIST. 

to promote the early establishment of your suit ; 
namely, when you have a high sequence, such as Q. 
Kn. 10, at the head of your hand. In this case 
your endeavor should be to force out the higher 
cards, for which purpose you lead the highest of 
your sequence, say the queen, which will be almost 
sure to force out either the ace or king; if the 
other is also against you, you may, on another 
round, bring it out with the knave, leaving you 
then with the best caTd and probably with the en- 
tire command. 

Directions how these principles may be applied 
in leading from particular combinations of cards, 
are usually given in the detailed rules of play. 

Hetum of the Lead. 

Hitherto we have only spoken of your own pro- 
ceedings in leading. But it is now desirable to con- 
sider your partner's duty, i.e., how he is expected 
to help you in regard to the play of your long suit. 
It is not enough that he simply return your lead ; 
the efficiency of his aid will much depend on what 
cards he plays. 

The key to this lies in the fact that, as you hold 
more than the average number of cards in the suit, 
he will probably hold less • i.e., if it is a long suit 
with you, it will be a short one with him. If you, 



DEVELOPMENT. 51 

for example, hold five, the chances are much against 
his holding more than three. And it follows from 
this, that the best thing he can do for the joint ben- 
efit is to play his cards rather with reference to your 
hand than his own, i.e., to give you the more im- 
portant part of the play in reference to the suit in 
question. 

And there are two principles deducible at once 
from our theory, which will serve for his guidance 
in this particular. 

The first is, that he must get rid of ilie command 
of your suit y for we have already stated it to be 
eminently desirable you should get this early into 
your own hand, in order to establish your suit as 
soon as possible. Thus, whenever he finds he holds 
the best card in it, he must play it out, in order to 
get it out of your way. 

And then, secondly, he must adopt, in this suit, 
what is called strengthening play. The meaning of 
this term is often misunderstood, but it is exceed- 
ingly simple. Whenever a high card is played, its 
withdrawal promotes (in military parlance) all the 
lower cards of that suit still existing in the various 
hands, i.e., it raises each of them a step in rank ; 
what was formerly the third best becoming now the' 
second best, and so on. And as it is evident that 
the longest hand will be the most likely to benefit 



52 THEOET OF WHIST. 

by this proceeding, this hand is said to be strength- 
ened thereby, so that, when your partner plays out 
high cards of your long suit, even though he may 
not make tricks with them, their withdrawal will 
strengthen, and thereby benefit you. This is an im- 
portant reason for the well-known rule to play high- 
est third hand y you having led from your long suit, 
your partner plays the highest he has, not only to 
his best towards getting the trick, but also, if he 
loses it, to strengthen your hand by getting high 
cards out of your way. This last object is entirely 
lost sight of by those silly people who feel mortified 
at " having their high cards taken," as well as by 
those, not much less silly, who, when strong in 
trumps, object to "lead up to an honor." 

For this reason also your partner must not finesse 
in your long suit, except with ace and queen the 
first time round, which, provided he gets rid of the 
ace soon afterwards, is considered allowable. 

The principle of strengthening play must also 
guide your partner in returning your lead ; for if he 
is short in the suit (i.e., if he held not more than 
three cards originally), it will be very advantageous 
to you that he should return the highest he has left, 
and not the lowest ; he may thus either save a high 
card of yours, or may afford you a good finesse, or 
at all events he will strengthen your hand, and aid 



DEVELOPMENT. 53 

you in establishing your suit. Thus if your partner 
originally held king, knave, and a small one, and 
has played out his king to your first lead, when he 
returns the suit he must lead the knave, and not the 
small one. 

This duty of returning the highest of a weak suit 
is so imperative, that it has now, by universal con- 
sent of the best players, become a conventional rule, 
by adhering to which your partner may show you 
the state of his hand. If, for example, he had origin- 
ally ace, five, and four of your lead, after winning 
with the ace he must return the Jive and not the 
four. It matters nothing to him, but it may be all 
important to you, and violation of the rule may lose 
the game. 

It is of course possible that your partner may hold 
originally more than three of your suit. In this case 
he is, like you, numerically strong, and this should 
justify him in so far considering his own hand as to 
depart from the before-mentioned rule, and to re- 
turn his lowest. But in any case, if he happens after 
the first round of your long suit still to hold the 
best or master-card in it, he should play it out at 
once, to get it out of your way, and to prevent your 
imagining it is against you. 

It is by no means necessary that your partner 
should return your lead immediately (except in 



54 THEORY OF WHIST. 

trumps, which he is bound to return instanter) ; on 
the contrary, it is high] y desirable that the first lead 
he gets he should lead his own long suit, so as to put 
you as early as possible in possession of information 
as to his hand, in return for that he has obtained 
from you. This will guide you to another lead 
when your own suit is stopped, and will promote 
your joint action. 

After you and your partner have both led your 
long suits, you will probably have a choice whether 
to go on with your own suit or with his. This will 
often be determined by the fall of the cards. If, 
for example, you win his lead cheaply, you should 
not return it, as you would be leading through the 
weak hand, which is contrary to principle, and the 
lead will come more properly from him. If, on the 
other hand, your partner has shown himself very 
weak in your suit, and you are also not very strong, 
of course it would be disadvantageous to go on with 
that, and you may probably do better to return your 
partner's. If your right-hand adversary has shown 
himself weak in your suit, pursue it by all means, 
as your partner ought not to return it for you. 

The foregoing explanations will show the nature 
of the mutual duties which the modern or combined 
game enjoins between yourself and your partner; 
for we need hardly add, that all we have said as tc 



DEVELOPMENT. 55 

Ms duties to you, as aiding you in your suit, equally 
defines your duties in aiding him. This mutuality 
cannot be too strongly insisted on ; the want of a 
proper perception of it is the great fault of manj 
otherwise good self-taught players, and it is tha 
hardest lesson they have to learn. There are num- 
bers of people who can play their own hands excel- 
lently, but who have no idea either of getting help 
from, or of affording help to, their partners, and 
who must therefore lose all the benefit derivable 
from the combined game.* 

Further JRemarhs on the Lead. 

We have hitherto assumed that you lead from 
the longest suit you hold, which is the safe general 
rule ; but cases often occur which involve some dif- 
ficulty of choice. For example, suppose you have 
five small cards, in one plain suit, and four with 
honors in another. The theory by no means im- 
peratively calls on you to lead the former ; for it 
must be borne in mind that the rank of the cards 
always deserves consideration, and your leading the 
four suit (which is still a long suit) would be per- 
fectly justifiable. 

* One of our best modern players characterizes playing 
for your own hand alone as ' ' the worst fault he knows 
in a Whist player." 



56 THEORY OF WHIST. 

Similarly a question might arise between four 
small cards and three good ones ; but here the case 
is different, for three cards constitute a short suit, 
to lead which unnecessarily would be a violation of 
the theory. 

Such, however, is the infinite variety of Whist, 
that provision must be made for leading under all 
sorts of circumstances, and from short suits among 
others. For example, you may have originally no 
long suit except trumps, which you do not feel jus- 
tified in leading ; or your own long suit may be 
trumped, and your partner may not yet have given 
you any indication what to„ lead for him. Leads 
from short suits, being contrary to principle, are 
called xmnatural or forced leads; it is necessary to 
be prepared for them, and the following hints may 
be of use : 

It is good to lead up to the weak adversary, or 
through the strong one. Therefore you may pretty 
safely lead a suit in which your right-hand adver- 
sary has shown himself weak, or your left-hand ad- 
versary strong. (Indication of strength is given 
by the lead, of weakness by the play of the third 
and fourth hand, and by the discard.} Remember, 
however, that, as a general rule, returning your ad- 
versary's lead is to be avoided. 

When you are obliged to lead from a short suit, 



DEVELOPMENT. 57 

the general rule is to play out the highest card you 
have, to inform your partner. If you have any rea- 
son to know that he is long in the suit, the rule 
admits of no exception ; but if you are doubtful 
on this point, it may be taken with some reserve. 
If, for example, you have an honor with two small 
ones, you may lead the smallest, so as to try and save 
the honor, in case of the strength lying against you. 

When you lead in this way an unnatural or forced 
lead, your partner ought generally to know it by the 
card you play, and ought not to return it, unless he 
happens to be strong in that suit himself, when he 
may treat it as a lead of his own. 

If it is injudicious to lead from three cards, it 
may easily be inferred how much more erroneous it 
is for your first lead to be from two or one, such 
being, as we have already explained, contrary to 
the essential principles of the modern scientific 
game. It is quite possible that in certain cases 
such a lead may seem to suit your own hand ; but 
by adopting it you give up altogether the principle 
of the combined game : you make up your mind 
wilfully to mislead your partner, and run a great 
risk of sacrificing his hand. For a glance at the 
foregoing rules will amply show how essentially, if 
he is a well-taught player, his mode of play will 
depend on the first card he sees fall from you, and 
3* 



58 THEORY OF WHIST. 

the inferences he draws therefrom as to the state of 
your hand. 

There is an old rule that you should not lead 
from a tenace, and this is no doubt good as regards 
a short suit ; but if your tenace suit is your long- 
est, the advantage of opening your game correctly 
is so great as to outweigh the other consideration. 
When you happen to be left with a tenace towards 
the end of the hand, the case is different, as you 
should generally hold it carefully back, and try to 
get it led up to. 

Oilier Applications of Theory. 

The long-suit system will furnish you with a good 
principle of guidance in the matter of discarding, 
which should always be done from short or weak 
suits, not from long ones. The cards of the for- 
mer are of little use ; those of the latter may be 
very valuable even to the smallest you have. The 
discard, practised on this principle, furnishes a very 
important means of conveying information to your 
partner as to the state of your hand. For example : 
suppose hearts are trumps, and that one of the ad- 
versaries has shown strength in spades ; you lead a 
winning club, to which your partner discards a dia- 
mond ; it is almost certain, if everybody plays prop- 
erly, that he must be very strong in trumps, and 



DEVELOPMENT. 59 

you may play accordingly. The restrictions to ba 
observed in discarding on this principle are, not to 
unnecessarily unguard good cards, and to keep a card 
of your partner's suit to return his lead. 

A word or two is necessary as to your course in 
regard to your adversaries • for it must be recol- 
lected you have not only to play your own and 
your partner's game, but you have also to defend it 
against hostile attacks, and to be able to attack the 
enemy in turn. 

The principles dictated by the theory of the 
game in this respect are very clear, the golden rule 
being to do to them what you would not that they 
should do unto you. For example : if you find a 
strong hand of trumps declared against you, you 
must force that hand to ruff, as the best means of 
destroying its strength, while you must take the 
earliest opportunity of making your own weak 
trumps by ruffing before they are drawn, and of en- 
abling your partner to do the same if he is weak 
also. You must generally be chary of returning 
the adversaries' leads, or of doing anything to aid 
in establishing their suits, of which you should 
avoid parting with the command — just the reverse 
of the principle you adopt with your partner. Any- 
thing, in fact, which the principle of' the game rec- 
ommends in regard to your partner, you must 



60 THEORY OF WHIST. 

avoid with your adversaries; and, on the other 
hand, you may adopt, towards them, any kind of 
play which would do your partner harm. 

Communication between the Partners. 

We have already stated that the theory of the 
scientific or combined game essentially contemplates 
the interchange of communication between the part- 
ners to the fullest legal extent, as to the state and 
contents of each other's hands ; and as the giving, 
obtaining, and making use of such information forms 
one of the chief characteristics of good play, a few 
additional words on the point may be useful here. 

In the first place, the system of play itself fur- 
nishes a large source of information ; for by follow- 
ing carefully the established principles, and by avoid- 
ing wild and irregular play, you will certainly put 
your partner in possession of the most material 
facts as to your hand, while by carefully observing 
his play you will become possessed of similar infor- 
mation as to his hand in return. A glance through 
the foregoing remarks will show this quite clearly. 

But, independently of this, you must adopt every 
further means in your power of giving him infor- 
mation, and there are many ways in which this may 
be done. We have already mentioned some con- 
ventional signals which, by common consent, have 



DEVELOPMENT. 61 

become legalized and adopted for the purpose, such 
as the signal for trumps, and returning the highest 
from a short suit ; and there are one or two others 
which may be remarked on. 

The mode of playing sequences furnishes one of 
these. Suppose, being third player, you hold king 
and queen ; it is clearly immaterial, as regards the 
immediate effect, which of these two cards you 
play ; but, since you have the choice, advantage is 
taken of the fact to enable you to give your part- 
ner information, the rule being that you always 
play the lowest of the sequence ; so that your part- 
ner, understanding this convention, will at once ac- 
quire the knowledge that you have not the knave, 
but may have the king. If you played the king, 
he would erroneously infer you had not the queen, 
and this error might cause him to do your joint 
game much injury. This rule of playing the lowest 
of a sequence applies whenever you are second, 
third, or fourth player ; but when you lead differ- 
ent considerations come in, which require, in many 
cases, the highest of the sequence to be played. 
This is, however, perfectly well understood, and 
causes no confusion. 

There are also several other lesser means of con- 
veying information, such as by retaining the turn- 
up card as long as you can, and by particular modes 



62 THEORY OF WHIST. « 

of play in particular cases ; as, for example, if yon 
found yourself at a certain period of the game with 
the best and second best cards of trumps, or of a 
plain suit when trumps were out, you would lead the 
second best, to show your partner you held the best 
also ; or, in discarding from a suit of which you 
have full command, it is a convention to throw away 
the highest, which your partner must know you 
would not do without good reason. Other devices 
of this kind will often suggest themselves in the 
course of play. 

And this consideration should also guide you to 
be extremely careful against doing anything which 
may mislead your partner, particularly in the man- 
agement of your small cards ; for example, it would 
be inexcusable unnecessarily to throw away a three 
or a four if you held a two. Deceiving your part- 
ner is a crime which ought to be held in the great- 
est abhorrence by a Whist player. It is ranked by 
one of our greatest Whist authorities with want of 
veracity in common affairs. " In no other position 
in life," says he, " would you tell me that which is 
untrue ; and why should you do it here ? " 

On the Degree of Strictness with which Systematic 
Play should be adhered to. 

It does not follow that because the modern scien- 
tific game involves a general system of play, this 



DEVELOPMENT. 63 

system is to be rigidly and slavishly adhered to, 
without judgment or discrimination. On the con- 
trary, one of the characteristics of a fine player is 
his ability and tact in finding out when and to what 
extent he may modify or depart from the ordinary 
rules.- It is impossible to teach this, and it is 
scarcely advisable that the learner should trouble 
himself much about it ; for it is far preferable to 
show even too strict an adherence to principle, than 
to depart from it wildly and unskilfully. When 
the systematic theory and practice of the scientific 
game have been fully mastered, practice and obser- 
vation will soon point out, to the intelligent stu- 
dent, the modes in which he may advantageously 
modify his play. 

The principal cause which justifies what one may 
call exceptional or irregular play, is the state of the 
score, which in Short Whist continually requires 
the most careful attention. The necessity for 
gaining a certain definite number of tricks, in order 
to win or to save the game, under peculiar circum- 
stances of the hands, often gives rise to special 
problems, out of the usual category, and for which 
the ordinary system must be entirely thrown aside. 
If, for example, you score four, and have six tricks 
already, it is absurd to trouble yourself about any 



64: THEOEY OF WHIST. 

scientific mode of play, if by any possible means, 
ever so irregular and exceptional, you can ensure 
one trick more. And so if, at love-all, two honors 
are declared against you, and you have four tricks 
up, any kind of play will be right that will get you 
the fifth trick to save the game. Again, suppose 
the adversaries are four, and you, with the lead, 
have a bad hand. The best play is, in defiance of 
all system, to lead out your best trump ; for, if 
your partner has not a very good hand, the game 
is lost ; and if he has, that is the best thing to 
do. 

Towards the end of the hand, rules may be often 
advantageously laid aside and false cards played, for 
then the great scheme of play cannot be affected by 
them: it has been settled and carried out long 
before. 

There is another justification for departure from 
strict systematic play : that is, the consideration of 
the personal capabilities of your partner or your 
adversaries, and their degree of knowledge of the 
game. It is an essence of the scientific game, con- 
sequent on its mutual and combined character, that 
both partners must understand it, and must play 
on the same general principles, otherwise the mutu- 
ality cannot consistently be carried out. And a 



DEVELOPMENT. 65 

question arises from this, which often puzzles stu- 
dents ; i.e., What should you do when you have a 
partner who does not understand, and consequently 
does not play, the scientific game ? 

This question is difficult to answer, as so much 
depends on the extent of his capabilities. It is, 
however, certain that you must considerably mod- 
ify your play, as all the features which depend on 
your partner's appreciation of the combined game 
would be thrown away. It would be folly, for ex- 
ample, to give the signal for trumps or any other 
conventional sign if it was not likely to be under- 
stood. And the case would be worse if one or 
both of the adversaries happened to be observant 
players ; for, in such case, the more information you 
gave as to your hand, the more facility you would 
afford for your own defeat. 

It is impossible to give rules for such cases: 
sometimes it might be politic to play for your own 
hand only ; at others you might partially help your 
partner (if you could understand his play) though 
he might not help you ; at other times you might 
most profitably devote your attention to thwarting 
your adversaries. All would be a matter of judg- 
ment at the time. 

The only thing to be said is, that principles of 
play which depend essentially on a joint action of 



DO THEOET OF WHIST. 

the two partners, must not inflexibly be carried out 
when one of their most fundamental conditions is 
wanting; and that, consequently, what would be 
very bad play if you had a good partner, may be 
perfectly good when you have a bad one. 



CHAPTER V. 

RULES AND DIRECTIONS FOR PLAY. 

The foregoing remarks illustrate what we have 
called the Theory of the Scientific or Modern 
Game. The way in which this theory is usually 
brought into practical application is by means of 
Rules or Directions for Play ; indeed, the ordinary 
plan in teaching "Whist, either personally or by 
books, is to give these rules only, either ignoring 
the theory altogether, or only allowing it to be 
inferred by the student as well as he can. 

Many collections of rules, carried out in con- 
siderable detail, will be found in the best modern 
works on Whist ;. but it will be useful to give here 
a short summary of the principal ones, arranged in 
a convenient form for reference. 

It must be explained that among such rules are 
included many which have no direct reference to 
the theory of the game, but are matters of detail, 
providing for what we may call the accidents of play. 



68 THEOEY OF WHIST. 



SUMMARY OP RULES AND DIRECTIONS FOR PLAY. 

The principles on which most of these rules 
are based will be found in the foregoing theoret- 
ical considerations. Some further explanations, 
together with notes of exceptions and other 
useful remarks, are appended in small type. 

The Lead. 

Let your first or principal lead be from your 
best long suit. 

If you have two suits, each of more than three 
cards, you may prefer the one which is strongest 
in high cards ; but always avoid, if possible, an 
original lead from a suit of less tlianfour. 

Holding in this suit ace and king, lead king first, 

then ace. 

This is preferable to beginning with the ace, 
as it may sometimes convey useful information. 
No good partner would trump your king led. 

If you hold ace, king, queen, lead king first, 
then queen, for the same reason. 

Holding king and queen, lead king. 

And, if it wins, a small one, as the ace ought 
to be with your partner. 



PEACTICAL EXILES. 69 

Holding king, queen, knave, ten, lead the low- 
est of the sequence, to induce your partner to 
put on the ace, if he has it, and leave you with 
the command. 

Holding ace, queen, knave, lead ace, then queen. 

So as to obtain the command with the knave. 
If your partner holds the king-, he ought to put 
it on the queen (if he can trust your leading from 
a long suit), so as not to obstruct your establish- 
ment of the suit. 

Holding ace and four others (not including king, 
or queen with knave), lead ace, then a small one. 

To prevent the chance of your ace being 
trumped second round. 

Holding queen, knave, ten, or knave, ten, nine, at 
the head of your suit, lead the highest. 

It is an old and well-known rule to ' ' lead the 
highest of a sequence." But like many other 
rules, when the reason of it is not comprehended, 
it is often totally misunderstood and misapplied. 
The object of doing this is to prevent your part- 
ner from putting on the next highest, if he has 
it ; but there are many cases where you ought to 
desire him to put it on, and where, consequently, 
the lowest ought to be played — as, for example, 
when you hold a quart to a king, as before direc- 



YO THEORY OF WHIST. 

ted. In a general way the rule should apply 
only to a high sequence heading the suit in your 
own hand, and not to low or subordinate sequen- 
ces, to lead the highest of which would only de- 
ceive your partner without doing you any good. 
See an example in the note to the f ollowing rule, 
and also remarks on the trump lead, 

In other cases lead the lowest card of your suit. 

If you hold king, knave, ten, nine, and a small 
one, lead the nine ; if king, knave, ten, and oth- 
ers, the ten. These are exceptional combinations. 

If trumps are out before you open your suit, you 
should lead differently, keeping back your high 

cards. 

See the rules for trump leads, which apply in 
a great measure to this case also. 

Lead your own long suit, if you have one, before 
you return your partner's. 

Unless you happen to hold the master-card in 
your partner's suit, which you should part with 
as early as you can, to get it out of your partner's 
way, and prevent his imagining it is against him. 

In returning your partner's lead, if you held not 
more than three cards of the suit originally ', always 
return the highest you have left. 



PRACTICAL EULEB. 71 

To strengthen his hand, and as a conventional 
signal. If you originally held four, return the 
lowest, unless you have the master-card, which 
play out at once, as before directed. Also, if 
you happen to havo discarded one of the four, 
play as if you had held only three. 

It is good to lead a suit in which your right-hand 
adversary is weak, or your left-hand strong. 

I.e., lead up to the weak suit, or through the 
strong one. On this principle avoid, if possible, 
returning your partner's suit, if you have won 
his lead cheaply. 

(Indication of strength is given by the lead — 
of weakness by the play of third and fourth hand, 
and by the discard. ) 



If obliged to lead from a suit of less than four 
cards, the general rule is to lead the highest. 

To inform your partner. If you have any rea- 
son to know he is long in the suit, the rule ad- 
mits of no exception ; but if you are doubtful on 
this point, it may be taken with some reserve. 
For example, if you hold an honor and two 
small cards in a suit respecting which no indica- 
tion has yet been given, to lead the honor might 
not only throw away a chance of making it, but 
strengthen one of your adversaries. 



72 THEORY OF WHIST. 

Avoid leading a suit which one adversary ruffs, 
and the other discards to. 



Unless you are sure of forcing the 
trump hand. 



Towards the end of the hand it may often win 
you an extra trick to avoid leading from a tenace 
or a " guarded second," and to try and induce your 
left-hand adversary to lead that suit for you. 

This is one of the points in which fine play is 
best shown. 



Second Hand. 

The general rule for the second .hand is to play 
your lowest. 

For your partner has a good chance of win- 
ning the trick ; and the strength being on your 
right, it is good to reserve your high cards (par- 
ticularly tenaces, such as ace and queen) for the 
return of the lead, when you will become fourth 
player. 

With one honor and one small card the best 
players adhere to this ruie. 



PKACTTOAL EULES. 73 

The following aro somo of the most usual excep- 
tions to this rule : 

Holding Ace and King, put on King. 

" King and Queen, " Queen. 

" Ace, Queen, Knave, " Knave. 
" Ace, Queen, Ten, " Queen. 

Also, if you have two high cards in sequence (as 
queen and knave, or knave and ten), with only- 
one other ; or if you have three high cards in 
sequence with any number, it is generally consid- 
ered right to play the lowest of the sequence second 
hand. 

To help your partner in case of the third hand 
being weak. There is, however, some danger of 
this being mistaken for the signal for trumps, 
and your partner must be on his guard. 

The second round of a suit, it is generally right 

to win the trick, second hand, if you hold the best 

card. 

Great strength in trumps, however, which 
always warrants a backward game, may some- 
times justify you in leaving it to your partner, 
particularly as you thereby keep the command 
of the adversary's suit. 
4 



74 THEORY OF WHIST. 

If an honor is lod, you should gonorally put a 
higher honor upon it. 

But if you axe strong in the suit, you may hus- 
band your strength and play a small one. 

Do not trump a doubtful trick second hand if 
strong in trumps : if weak, trump fearlessly. 

Third Hand. 

Tho gcnoral rule for tho third hand is to play 
the highest you have. 

In order not only to do your best to win the 
triolc, but to strengthen your partner's long suit, 
by getting the high oards out of his way. 

If you havo a head sequence, remember to play 
the lowest of it. 

This rule is subject, however^ to the peculiar at- 
tribute of tho third hand as regards finessing. 

To know how to linosse properly, requires great 
judgment and experience, but there are a few 
useful rules of general application : 

a. Tho lirst-timo round of a suit, if you hold 
ace and queen, you always play the queen. 

b. With this oxcoption, it is wrong in principle 



PRACTICAL RULES. 75 

to finesse in your partner's long suit, as lie wants 
the high cards out of his way. If you see that 
he leads from weakness, or if he leads you 
strengthening cards in your own long suit, you 
may finesse more freely. 

c. It is dangerous to finesse the second-time 
round of a suit, as the chances are it will be 
trumped the third time. 

d. If, however, you are strong in trumps, you 
may finesse much more freely, as your trumps 
may enable you to bring your high cards in. 

e. With minor tenace it is generally proper to 
finesse the second round, as the best card must 
probably be to your left ; and if the third best is 
there also, both your cards must be lost in any 



/. It is of no use to finesse, if the previous play 
has shown that the intermediate card, against 
which you finesse, does not He to your right ; 
for in that case it must be either with your part- 
ner or your left-hand adversary, in either of 
which cases finessing is obviously useless. 

g. The advisableness or not of finessing in 
certain cases late in the hand is often determined 
by the fall of the cards or the state of the score ; 
e.g. , when you particularly want one trick to win 
or save the game, or if, from what you know of 
your partner's or opponents' cards, you see you 
can only get one, it would be wrong to finessa 
for the chance of gaining two. 



76 THEORY OF WHIST. 

Be careful to watch the fall of the cards from 
your left-hand neighbor, in order that, if he proves 
weak in a suit, you may avoid wasting high cards 
when small ones would suffice to win the trick over 
him. This is very necessary, as your partner is 
often likely to lead up to the weak hand. 

Fourth Hcmd, 

In this you have in most cases little to do but 
to win the trick as cheaply as you can. 

And recollect if you do win it cheaply, it may 
afford yon a good hint for a good lead when you 
are in want of one. 

Cases sometimes arise, however, towards the 

close of the hand, where it is advisable not to win 

the trick. 

As, for example, when by not doing so you can 
force yonr left-band adversary to lead up to your 
tenace, or guarded second. 

There are also cases in which it is advisable to 
win a trick already your partner's. 

As, for example, to get high obstructing cards 
out of his way, or to enable you to lead up to a 



PRACTICAL EXILES. 77 



hand, or otherwise to alter the position of 
the lead. 

Management of Trumps. 

If you have five or more trumps always lead 
them, or signal to your partner to do so.* 

As explained in the foregoing' theoretical re- 
marks. 

A trump lead from four may "be warranted by 
strength, either of your own hand or your partner's 
in other suits, but always requires judgment and 

care. 

But if you have a long suit to bring in, it is 
generally best, with four trumps, to lead the 
plain suit first. 

A trump lead from three or less is seldom wise, 
being only justifiable by great strength in all other 
suits, or by special necessity, such as stopping a 
cross ruff, etc. 

* Good players are sometimes more cautious in asking 
for trumps than in leading them. The rule given by one 
of the best modern authorities is, not to ask for trumps 
unless you hold four with two honors, or five with one 
honor, together with good cards in one of the hands. It 
is simpler, however, for learners to adhere to the rule, 
always to lead or ask for trumps when they hold five. 



78 THEORY OF WHIST. 

You must not lead trumps simply because you* 
long suit is trumped, for, if your adversaries are 
strong in them, you will only be playing their 
game. 

The proper card to lead from your own strong 

suit of trumps varies a little from that of common 

suits. 

For the latter is influenced by the chance of 
being ruffed, from which the trump suit is free. 

For this reason, unless you have commanding 
strength enough to disarm the adversaries at 
once, you play a more backward game, generally 
leading your lowest, to give the chance of the 
first trick to your partner. 

It is also often very advantageous to reserve a 
high trump to give you the lead the third time 
round, as in case of adverse strength of trumps 
remaining against you, it may enable you to 
force it with much advantage. 

If you have ace, king, queen, or any other com- 
manding sequence, lead the lowest of them first, 
and then the next lowest, and so on to inform 
your partner. 

If you have ace, king, knave of trumps, it is 
good to lead the king and then stop, waiting for 
the return of the lead in order to finesse the 
knave. 

If your partner asks for trumps, you are bound 



PRACTICAL RULES. 79 

to lead them, and if he leads them you are bound 
to return them, the first opportunity. 

Remembering' in either case, if you had not 
more than three, to play your highest, in order to 
strengthen his hand. 

In inferring that your partner has asked for 
trumps, recollect that there are cases in. which 
he may have necessarily played the higher card 
first ; in the trump signal it must be played un- 



Never lead through an honor turned up, unless 
you otherwise want trumps led. On the other hand, 
do not hesitate to lead up to an honor, if you are 
strong in them. 

As explained in Chap. IV. 

You may finesse in trumps much more deeply 
than in plain suits, 

As master-cards must ultimately make. 

Ruff freely when weak in trumps, but not when 

strong. 

See directions for the Second Hand. 
t It may often be advisable when strong in trumps 

even to refuse to trump a trick which is certainly 
against you, as your trumps will ultimately make, 



80 THEORY OF WHIST. 

and you may perhaps discard advantageously. 
If you see your partner do this, he will probably 
want trumps led, and you must carefully avoid 
forcing him. 

Do not force your partner «if weak in trumps 
yourself.* 

At least, not until you have ascertained it will 
do him no injury ; for your weakness renders it 
probable he may be strong, when forcing may be 
the worst injury you could do. 

On the other hand, force a strong trump hand of 
the adversary whenever you can. 

Whenever you are not strong enough to lead 
trumps, you are weak enough to force your ad- 
versary. 

If, when you or your partner are leading trumps, 
one adversary" renounces, you should not generally 
continue the suit. 

As you would be expending two for one drawn. 
Your proper game is then to try and make your 
and your partner's trumps separately. 

* One of the best modern players defines " four trumps 
with one honor " as sufficient strength to warrant your 
forcing your partner. 



PRACTICAL RULES. 81 

It may, however, often be advisable, even un- 
der this disadvantage, totally to disarm the 
adversary, if you or your partner have cards or 
suits to bring' in. In this case, the renouncing 
hand should be led up to, rather than through. 

Similarly, if your partner renounces trumps, it is 
generally advisable to go on. 

As you draw two trumps by expending one. 

If you are dealer, retain the turn-up card as long 
as you can. 

To inform your partner ; if not, recollect it, 
and notice when it falls. When, however, the 
adversaries are drawing trumps, it may sometimes 
be advisable to part with it unnecessarily, in 
order to make them believe you have no more. 

General Directions. 

Sort your cards carefully, both according to suit 
and rank, and count the number of each suit. 

This will greatly assist the memory. 

If not leading, always play the lowest of a se- 
quence. 

This is one of the modern conventional rules by 
which information is conveyed to your partner as 
to the contents of your hand, and if you have an 
4* 



82 THEORY OF WHIST. 

observant and educated partner it must be care- 
fully adhered to. 

Get rid of the commanding cards of your part- 
ner's long suit as soon as possible. Retain those of 
the adversaries' suits as long as you conveniently 

can. 

As explained in Chap. IV. 

Discard generally from short or weak suits, not 
from long or strong ones. 

For the cards of the former are of very little 
use, while those of the latter may be very valua- 
ble. Besides, your first discard is generally a 
very important source of information to your 
partner. 

It is, however, sometimes worth while to break 
the rule for the sake of retaining- a guard to an 
honor or second-best card, particularly in your 
adversaries' suits. 

When you have the entire command of any suit 
it is a conventional signal for you to discard (when 
the opportunity arises) the best card^ in order to 
inform your partner. 

Thus, having ace, king, queen, and knave of a 
suit not led, you would discard the ace ; for it 
must be obvious that you would not do this un- 
less you had others equally good behind. 



PRACTICAL RULES. 83 

Discarding the second best generally intimates you 
have no more of that suit. 

You throw it away because it is not likely to 
make. 

Be careful in the management of your small cards. 

In order not to mislead your partner. Do not 
throw away carelessly a three or four if you hold 
a two. 

When your partner first renounces a suit, call 
his attention to the fact. 

As it may save a revoke. 

Keep constantly in mind the desirableness of 

affording information to your partner, of obtaining 

information as to his hand, and of playing the hands 

jointly. 

This being the essence of the modern game. 

Pay attention to the state of the score, which 
ought often to influence your play. 

Remember that the third trick saves the game 
when honors are equal; that the fifth saves it 
against two by honors, and the seventh against 
four by honors. Note also that the odd trick is 
twice as valuable as any other, as it makes a 
difference of two to the score. Notice further, 
when you are near winning the game, how many 
tricks are wanting for that purpose. 



84 THEORY OF WHIST. 

In all these cases it may be expedient to mod- 
ify the usual play for the sake of getting the 
tricks you want in preference to speculating for 
more ; for when you particularly require one 
trick, it would be folly to risk it (by finessing, 
for example) in order to have the chance of gain- 
ing two. 

The state of the score may sometimes influence 
your whole plan. For example, if the adversa- 
ries are four, and you have a bad hand, you 
should lead your best trump, as explained in 
Chap. IV. 

Consider also the effect of the lead, 

It is often desirable to depart from the usual 
modes of play for the sake of gaining the lead, 
or of giving it to your partner. 

And it is also sometimes worth while even to 
throw away a trick in order to give the lead to 
one of your adversaries; as, for example, to 
make them lead up to a tenace or guarded 
second. 

These two latter rules afford the principal 
opportunities for fine play. 

Do not be discouraged when sound play fails of 
success, which must often occur. 



CHAPTEK YI. 



CONCLUSION". 



We have now expounded the theory of the 
modern scientific game, and shown the mode of 
carrying it out in practice. Any one who has 
sufficiently mastered the principles here laid down 
to apply them fluently in his play, may be called a 
sound player, and will possess by far the most im- 
portant qualification for proficiency in the game. 
He will have immense advantages over those who 
do not play on system : for he will know what he 
is about, which they never do ; and his game will 
be intelligible to a good partner, whom he will be 
in no danger of thwarting, as is so often done by 
untaught players. Every good player knows too 
well the annoyance of having a partner who, 
through want of appreciation of what a good game 
means, will persist in obstructing and opposing his 
play, often to their mutual discomfiture. 

And, it is worthy of remark how much a system- 



86 THEORY OP WHIST. 

atic commencement facilitates the study of tb 
game. Everybody knows how difficult it is to 
learn Whist in the ordinary unsystematic way : 
the pupil is led blindly through a course of hetero- 
geneous rules, of the foundation of which he knows 
nothing, and which, therefore, have no meaning to 
him beyond mere empirical dicta. He must 
grope about for a long time in the dark, and can 
only enlighten himself by a gradual intuition of 
what the rules mean. 

But when the mode of play is shown to be a 
system, easily explained and as easily compre- 
hended, it is astonishing in how different a light 
the game appears. Its acquisition, instead of being 
laborious and repulsive, becomes easy and pleasant ; 
the student, instead of being frightened at the diffi- 
culties, finds them vanish before him; and even 
those who, having formerly practised without 
method, take the trouble of learning the system, 
suddenly see the light break in upon them, and 
soon find themselves repaid a hundred-fold in the 
increased enjoyment and satisfaction the game will 
afford them. 

It is one of the great advantages of the modern 
scientific game, and of this systematic mode of 



CONCLUSION. 87 

teaching it, that it renders Whist attractive to the 
young. It was formerly almost exclusively prac- 
tised by those somewhat advanced in life, who 
alone were supposed to have acquired sufficient 
experience and judgment to play it well. But now 
that the results of experience have been reduced to 
a systematic form, capable of being presented at 
once to the mind, and sparing the years of practice 
formerly necessary for their induction, we find the 
game taken up as an attractive occupation by young 
men of high intellectual character, some of whom 
rank as the finest players. And it is also due to the 
other sex to say, that the introduction of the sys- 
tematic form has been found to take from the game 
the stigma of being iC only fit for old maids," and to 
render it now as attractive to our daughters and 
sisters as it used to be to our aunts and grand- 
mothers. 

But, great as is the step gained by systematic or 
sound play, something more is necessary to make 
a good player ; for here other qualifications enter 
into requisition, such as observation, memory, infer- 
ence, and judgment. We must devote a few words 
to these. 



88 THEOEY OF WHIST. 

If you aspire to become a good player, you must 
observe carefully. Look constantly at the board, 
watch every card as it falls, and notice particularly 
every honor. When you are practised in this, 
extend your special notice to the tens and nines, 
which, from their importance and the different ap- 
pearance they have from the lower cards, it has 
been found convenient to call semi-honors. Also 
let every original lead and renounce, or other sign 
of strength or weakness shown by each hand, im- 
press itself upon your mind as it occurs. 

A good player must also exercise some effort of 
memory to recollect the fall of the cards, and the 
indications given of the state of the hands. But 
the importance of this is vastly overrated by un- 
taught players. "We often hear such expressions 
as — "Mr. So-and-so is a first-rate player, for he 
can recollect every card out ; " or, " I shall never 
play well — I have no memory." These are entirely 
delusions. Memory is of in fin itely less importance 
than correct play. The best memory in the world 
will help a player very little if he does not under- 
stand and practise the principles of the game ; if 
he does, a very moderate mnemonical power will 



CONCLUSION. 89 

suffice for every practical purpose. Let no one 
therefore despair on this ground. We will give a 
few hints, by following which the necessary power 
may soon be acquired. 

In the first place avoid all artificial systems, 
such as placing the trumps in a particular place 
(which is perfectly childish), or any other contri- 
vance of the kind, further than by carefully arrang- 
ing and counting your cards at the beginning of 
the hand. Trust to the natural memory only, 
which will soon answer your demands upon it. 

Then, do not attempt to recollect too much at 
once — go by degrees. It is totally unnecessary to 
recollect every card ; not one player in a hundred 
thousand could do that, or would desire to do it. 
The theory of the game shows us that there are 
some things much more important to attend to 
than others, and we should commence by directing 
the memory to these. For example : 

First. Always count the trumps; notice the 
honors as they fall ; and remember the trump card. 

Secondly. Direct your attention to your own 
most important suit, and try to recollect the fall of 
the honors in it. As soon as you can do this well, 
try also to remember the semi-honors. 



90 THEORY OF WHIST. 

Thirdly. Extend this to your partner's suit also. 

Go as much further as you like ; but if you 
can do these, you will have done much to quaiify 
yourself, as far as memory goes, for being a good 
player. 

Then a good player will draw inferences, from 
what he sees, as to where certain cards do or do 
not lie, and generally as to the state of the various 
hands. Eew players have any idea to what an 
extent this may be carried by attentive and 
thoughtful observation. There is not a single card 
played from which information of some kind may 
not be inferred : in fact, as a great player expresses 
it, " Whist is a language, and every card played is 
an intelligible sentence." The insight good players 
get into their fellow-players' hands appears to the 
unpractised almost like second-sight. Great skill 
in this can of course only be attained by great prac- 
tice and great attention, combined with some special 
talent; but every industrious and careful player 
may do much in the way of inference, and when he 
has mastered the principles of the game, he ought 
to give the subject his best study. 

The following are some examples of the way 







CONCLUSION. 


in which inferences may be 


played : 


i 


, Lead. 


(In the 
lead.) 


Play. 
player's 


own first N.B. 
ter 



91 



drawn from cards 



Any plain suit. 



King. 

Ace followed by queen. 
Ace, followed by a small one. 
Queen (plain suits). 

(In returning his Partner's 
lead. ) 

Does not lead out the mas- 
ter-card. 

Any card, afterwards drop- 
ping a lower one. 

Any card, afterwards drop- 
ping a higher one. 

(Generally.) 

Forces his partner. 

Eefrains from doing so. 



When there is an al- 
ternative, your own hand, 
or the fall of the other 
cards, will often determine 
it. No account is here 
taken of the signal for 
trumps, which will some- 
times modify the inference 
to be drawn. 

Is the best in his hand ; he 
holds four or more of it ; 
and has not five trumps. 

Holds also either queen or 
ace. 

Holds knave also. 

Had originally five or more. 

Holds also knave and 10; 
but not ace or king. 



Does not hold it. 



Has no more. 



Has more. 



Is strong in trumps. 
Is weak in them. 



92 



THEORY OF WHIST. 



Second Player. 



Play. 
King (to small one led). 
Queen (ditto). 

Knave (ditto), 



Any smaller card. 
Trumps a doubtful trick. 

Does not trump it. 



Inference. 
Holds ace also, or no more. 
Holds king also, or ace and 

ten, or no more. 
Holds also queen and king, 

or queen and ace, or 

queen and one other only, 

or no more. 
Has none lower. 
Has not more than three 

trumps. 
Has more than three. 



Third Player. 



Ace* 



Holds neither king nor 
queen. 



Fourth Plajjer. 



Cannot win the trick. 



Wins it with any card. 



Has no card higher than 
the one against him. 

Has no card between this 
and the one against him. 



Second, Third, or Fourth Player. 



Any card. 

Eefuses to trump a trick 

certainly against him. 
Any discard, generally. 



Has not the one next below 

it. 
Probably is strong in trumps, 

and wants them led. 
Is weak in that suit. 



CONCLUSION. 93 

Plat. Inference. 

Discards the best of any Has the next best and the 

suit. full command. 

Discards the second best. Has no more. 

Plays unnecessarily a Signal for trumps. 

higher card before a 

lower. * 

When it is considered that several of these op- 
portunities for inference will occur in every trick, 
it will cease to be a matter of wonder what a clear 
insight skilled and observant players will, after a 
few tricks, obtain into each other's hands. 

And, lastly, a good player must apply the results 
of his observation, memory, and inference with 
judgment in his play. This cannot be taught : it 
must depend entirely on the individual talent or 
good sense of the player, and the use he makes of 
his experience in the game. This will vary im- 
mensely in different individuals, and the scope for 
individual judgment in play is one of the finest 
features of the game. 

It sometimes happens that a person who has qual- 
ified himself to be called a good player is further 
specially gifted by nature with the power to make 
master-strokes of genius and skill, which will then 



94: THEORY OF WHIST. 

constitute him a fine player, the highest grade to 
which it is possible to attain. 

The student must, however, be careful not to 
aim at this too early ; remembering always that be- 
fore becoming a fine player he must learn to be a 
sound one, and that the only way to do this is to 
be sought in a perfect systematic knowledge of the 
principles of the game. 



RHYMING- RULES, MNEMONIC MAX- 
IMS, AND POCKET PRECEPTS. 



BEING SHORT MEMORANDA OF IMPORTANT POINTS TO BE KEPT IN 

MIND BY THOSE "WHO WOULD PRACTISE THE MODERN 

SCIENTIFIC GAME OF WHIST. 



If you the modern game of Whist would know, 
From this great principle its precepts flow : 
Treat your own hand as to your partner's joined, 
And play, not one alone, but both combined. 

Your first lead makes your partner understand 
What is the chief component of your hand ; 
And hence there is necessity the strongest 
That your first lead be from your suit that's longest. 

In this, with ace and king, lead king, then ace; 
With king and queen, king also has first place ; 
With ace, queen, knave, lead ace and then the queen; 
With ace, four small ones, ace should first be seen ; 
With queen, knave, ten, you let the queen precede; 
In other cases, you the lowest lead. 

Ere you return your friend's, your own suit play; 
But trumps you must return without delay. 

When you return your partner's lead, take pains 
To lead him back the best your hand contains, 
If you received not more than three at first ; 
If you had more, you may return the worst. 



96 THEORY OF WHIST. 

But if you hold the master card, you're bound 
In most cases to play it second round. 

Whene'er you want a lead, 'tis seldom wrong 
To lead up to the weak, or through the 



If second hand, your lowest should be played, 
Unless you mean " trump signal " to be made ; 
Or if you've king and queen, or ace and king, 
Then one of these will be the proper thing. 

Mind well the rules for trumps, you'll often need them : 
When you hold five, 'tis always eight to leap 

THEM ; 

Or if the lead won't come in time to you, 
Then signal to your partner so to do. 

Watch also for your partner's trump request, 
To which, with less than four, play out your lest. 

To lead through honors turned up is bad play, 
Unless you want the trump suit cleared away. 

When, second hand, a doubtful trick you see, 
Don't trump it if you hold more trumps than three; 
But having three or less, trump fearlessly. 

When weak in trumps yourself, don't force your friend ; 
But always force the adverse strong trump hand. 

For sequences, stern custom has decreed 
The lowest you must play, if you don't lead. 

When you discard, weak suits you ought to choose, 
For strong ones are too valuable to lose. 



iaam ./nru/Hrufl.rv * 



VWU/AA, 






KVnn*) 



iaa/M 



AAfts/AA* . s * ' ■ - . ' A S 



W RAa 



^M§/ 






ii&Mfl 



*Mt^:^ 



ttA AA 



»»MS 






MMak 



wmmk 






A A a A A 



iiiiii 



i^M^fe 



P$i™iBK» 



AAAAA 






AAA^M* 






mmmmE * 



oV-£ 



,o'n 




st 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



020 237 409 8 




